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Thursday, July 31, 2025
TopicBeyond the Reel

Topic: Beyond the Reel

Why’s Bollywood obsessed with Vijay Mallya? Neeyat, Crew tap into a lingering fantasy

Crew trains its guns on Mallya from the get-go – showcasing his famous ‘gift packs’ and ‘welcome videos’, and dressing its on-screen stewardesses in Kingfisher-like red uniforms.

Barbie movie disappoints just like the doll. Needs radical makeover, not trendy updates

Over the decades, Barbie has tried to convince us she's changing. But tweaking isn't transforming. Greta Gerwig's movie is one more modification, not a radical 21st century makeover.

Adipurush controversy shows there’s no pleasing Hindu groups. They want 100% compliance

From lashing out at Om Raut for kissing Kriti Sanon on the cheek to targetting ‘anti-Hindu’ Saif Ali Khan, the criticisms surrounding Adipurush are rooted in sexism and Islamophobia.

20 years of Chalte Chalte—when SRK didn’t play the king of romance

Chalte Chalte’s Raj seems to be an obvious precursor to men who stalk and abuse their partners, like in Kabir Singh and the atrocities Luv Ranjan calls films.

Look out for the women in Rocket Boys — Mrinalini Sarabhai, Pipsy show grit and grace

In the very first episode of the new season, Mrinalini Sarabhai shuts down a journalist more curious about her absence from Vikram’s rocket launch than her dance academy.

Bollywood romances are dead. This generation doesn’t have its own Raj, Rahul or Simran

The past 5 years have not seen any full-blown romances, at least no memorable ones. Love has been relegated to a subplot.

Bhediya to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, ‘horror-comedy’ built a loyal fanbase in 2022

Indian horror films have come a long way from the Ramsay brothers and Vikram Bhatt era of the 1980s and early 2000s.

Chitchor to Hum Aapke Hain Koun—Rajshri films echoed India’s nostalgia for perfect sanskari era

In an era when watching Titanic with parents was a shared trauma for millenials, Rajshri films were ‘clean’ and you could safely watch them with no hesitation.

Brahmastra to Liger—Love in Bollywood is an overused ‘button’. Go back to Piku era

Bollywood is slacking on good love stories. Despite more than 70 releases in 2022, none were acclaimed as great romances.

Are doctors divided by gender? Male gynaecologists agree with Doctor G’s Ayushmann Khurrana

Not only are families disturbed when women members consult male specialists, there have been several instances where their mere presence has caused a ruckus.

On Camera

Meghnad Desai was a man of many passions. Marxian economics, politics to Bollywood

Meghnad’s interest went much beyond economics and politics. This is reflected in his writing, particularly after his retirement as a full-time LSE professor in 2003.

Govt’s earlier FDI limit of 74% in insurance sector has remained underutilised, Parliament told

In the latest budget, the FDI limit was increased to 100 percent, but most foreign companies are not buying such large stakes in the Indian insurance sector.

India to get last of Spain-built C-295 next month, focus now on 1st India-made aircraft

New Delhi: The last of the C-295 transport aircraft that is replacing the ageing Avro fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be...

Modi’s Bharat vs Indira’s India: 11-yr report card of politics, diplomacy, economy, nationalism

As Narendra Modi becomes India’s second-longest consecutively serving Prime Minister, we look at how he compares with Indira Gandhi across four key dimensions.